Catheter-case.



O. B. SOHELLBERG.

CATHETER CASE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1913.

INVENTOR Jmrj'AJ eZZ&ary

ATTORNEYS A 1 9 1 0O nu e D d e t n 6 t a P WITNESSES instrument oscen B. SCHELLBEBG, or NEW YORK, N. Y. carnnrnnpoesn Specification of Letters Fatent.

Application filed December 18, 1918. Serial R0. 807,441.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR B. Sonnmamne, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, borough of Bronx, in the county of Bronx and State of New York,

have invented a new and Improved Catheter-Case, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a novel container or case to hold a catheter, and an object of my invention is to provide a case in which the catheter may be inclosed and the whole subjected to a sterilizing heat whereby the catheter will be effectively sterilized and may be maintained and carried in a sterilized and aseptic condition until required for use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a container case for the instrument from which the latter may be projected and then be fully entered in the urethra and manipulated to draw off the urine, without exposing it to the atmosphere and without the surgeon or other operator directly handling the instrument. Thus all danger of the instrument becoming contaminated by contact with the users fingers is obviated. The container case, in addition to being designed to be of a character to be utilized by the operator in manipulating the instrument in entering the latter into the urethra, is further designed to permit of restoring the to the container to be again sterilized While inclosed, without the necessity of the operator at any time bringing the instrument into direct contact with the fingers.

In carrying out the invention, use is made preferably of flexible rubber to form an elongated, collapsible body to accommodate the catheter, said body having an integral, closed bottom end, and fittings are provided for the open upper or front end. The fittings, in their entirety, comprise a cover to constitute a hermetic closure, a member re ceiving the cover and advantageously shaped with regard to the terminal conformation of the organ to receive the instrument, and a guide neck to facilitate the proper entrance of the instrument to the urethra, the elements thus included possessing their individual advantages and being cooperatively arranged when the case is provided with all of said elements, as in the preferred embodiment.

The invention will be particularly explained in the specific description following.

Reference is to be had to ing drawing cation, erence indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the complete device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the elements separately, part of the body of the case being broken away; Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the catheter partly projected from the casing, the cover having been removed; and Fig. 4 is a front end view of the device with the cover removed.

In forming a case or container in accordance with the illustrated practical embodiinent, an elongated body 10 of general tubuar equivalent flexible waterproof and airproof material, the rear or bottom end 10 being closed and integral body as thus formed is essentially a flexible sack, and has a length to accommodate the catheter A, or the major portion thereof, and is freely collapsible in all directions.

To the open front end of the body or sack 10, a neck 11 is hermetically joined, through which the instrument may be passed into and out of the body. Primarily, means is provided for the reception of a cover to hermetically close the open end of the tubular body 10. In the example shown, the neck has a bead 11 over which the upper end of the rubber is stretched, and an external thread 11 on the neck, at the upper end, receives the interiorly threaded lower end 12 of a flaring extension 12. The open upper end of the extension 12 receives a cover 13, the extension and cover having mating threads 12*, 13, and the two constituting a cap to form a hermetic closure of the body.

It will be observed that the extension 12 at the front end is inclined to the axis of the body 10 and neck 11 and that the said neck is thus disposed eccentrically with the extension, its axis being at one side of the center of the extension. The laterally in clined terminal edge of the extension 12 and its described arrangement relatively to the neck 11 is to conform the device to the position of the urethra and the adjacent anatomical conformation, wherebythe extension constitutes a means to locate and position the device.

In connection with the neck a guide tip 14 is provided and, in the preferred con 0 the accompanyforming a part of this specifi- Patented Dec. 8, z

in which similar characters. of refform is made from flexible rubber or with the body. The

as v

end of the tip desirably terminates just within the inclined-edgeportion of the extension 12.

When the catheter A is within the case and the latter closed by the cover 13, or equivalent closure, it will be apparent that the complete article may be subjected to heat by submerging it in water of the required temperature, or other approved treatment, to sterilize by heat. The inclosed instrument will thus be preserved in aseptic condition and may be carried in the pocket or satchel ready for use without further sterilization.

To use the catheter,-the cover 13 is re moved and the inclined front of the extension 12 is' so positioned that the tip 14 will be in line with and adjacent to the entrance to the urethra. The operator, while grasping the flexible sack 10, gradually enters the instrument and relatively works the sack rearwardly until it is finally slipped from the rear end, with the instrument free to constitute a duct for the fluid discharge.

It will be noted that not only is the instrument inserted without being directly grasped, with the liability of contamination from the fingers, but its exposure to the atmosphere with the possibility of contamination therefrom, is either wholly avoided or reduced to a minimum.

Upon completion of the operation, the instrument, after being washed if desired, may be placed in its case by an obvious manipulation of the latter, to be again sterilized while inclosed, and be thus available in aseptic condition whenever required.

The extension 12 has a notch 15 in the edge thereof, constituting a lateral opening.

he cover 13 has a lateral opening 16 outward from the edge and registering with the opening 15 when the cover is partially turned. Thus the threads 13 at the edge of the cover will engage threads 12 below the opening 15, and hold the cover in place with the openings in register, for draining off the boiling water or other sterilizing fluid without fully removing the cover.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A combined catheter and a case to protect andmanipulate the same, comprising a catheter, a container consisting of an elonforgated hermetic body having an open ward end provided with a neck in which the catheter has a guided fit, and a removable name to this specification in being flexible and adapted to collapse as the catheter is forced outward through the said neck.

2. A container of the character described comprising an elongated, collapsible body to receive the catheter, the mouth of .the 7 J container having a fitting provided with a closure and an annular member surrounding the' mouth, the outer edge of which is inclined to the axis of the body.

3. A container ofthe character described comprising an elongated body having an open end for the insertion and removal of a catheter, and an annular element surrounding the open end and open for the passage of the catheter to and from said open end, the outer edge of said element being inclined in a plane at an angle to the axis of the body.

4. A container of the character described comprising an elongated body adapted to receive a catheter, and a fitting on an open end of the container, said fitting forming a neck presenting a passage for the entrance and removal of the catheter, and an annular element surrounding the neck and concentrio therewith.

5-. A container of the character described having an elongated body adapted to receive an instrument, and a fitting at an open end of the body, said fitting consisting of a neck having a forwardly projecting guide tip for the entrance and removal of an instrument to and from the body, and an enlarged annular member outside the guide tip and concentric therewith, the outer edge of the said member being in a plane inclined to the axis of the tip and neck.

6. A container adapted to hold a surgical instrument and provided at the mouth thereof with a threaded annular member, 105 formed with a lateral opening in the edge thereof, for draining oil' a sterilizing fluid, and a closure having a lateral opening. outward from the edge to register with that of the said member'when the closure is par- 110 tially removed. 7. An aseptic hermetic container and manipulating protector for catheters, comprising an elongated flexible aseptic body having an open end formed with a neck afford- 1 15 ing a guiding fit for a catheter, and means independent of said neck to effect a closure of said open end.

In testimony whereof I have signed my the presence of 120 two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR B. SCHELLBERG.

Witnesses:

J. L. MCAULIFFE, G. H. EMsLra. 

